Support for drop tubes



Dec. 2, 1930. .1. A. MARTOCELLO I 1,733,308

SUPPORT FOR DROP TUBES Filed Oct. 1, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l .Dec- 1930-.1. A. MARTOCELLO 1,783,808

SUPPORT FOR DROP TUBES Filed 001;. 1, 1927 s sheets-sheet 2 Dec; 2,1930. J. A. MARTOCELLO SUPPORT FOR DROP TUBES Filed Oct. 1, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED stares FATE JOSEPH A.MARrocELto, or rHILAnELrHIA, rEnNsYLvANIA surroar roa DROP TUBESApplicationfilefi OctoberI, 1927. manna-223,452;

My invention relates to-supportsfor drop tubes for use in raw water icemanufacture.-

One of the purposes of my invention is to provide air tube supports froma lateral lo- I cated'above ice cans by brackets in which the lateralcan be tilted to remove the brackets from beneath the air tubes, and tothen re move the lateral and the brackets from their positions over thecans. A further purpose is-to protect an air lateral outlet forsupplying a drop tube by a bracket secured to the lateral the tube issupported. V

A further purpose is to support an air tube 1 from a bracket byspacedbracket terminals from which the tube and bracket can be with drawn onerelatively with respect totheother by movement'of either in a directiongenerally transverse to thetube:

A further purpose is'to provide an air lateral fora can basket with tapsat intervals, to support the drop tubes by brackets located at the tapsand straddling the taps so as to protect them and to pass the connectingflexible tubes from the taps to the tubes through the brackets therebygiving maximum protection for the tube and tap connection and minimumlength of connection.- The entire path desirably slopesdownwardlypreventi 3 ing trapping of condensed moisture.

A further purpose is "to provide a lateralforuse with actin 'basket'withbrackets, one for I each individual can,' havlng forked bracket ends tofacilitate separation of the brackets and tubeS- 1 A further purpose isto provide bracket supportsfor air tubes permitting free swinging in twoseparate-planes and thereby permitting swinging in anyplane or in a pathnot confined to any plane. I A further purpose is to support a droptubeterminal from prongs on opposite sides of the tube so as to give thetube tilting or sliding 'movement parallel with the lengthfof the prongsand tilting orsliding movement transversely to the length of the prongs,selecting the movement desired preferably according to the contactintended with the surface of the prongs.

' A'furtherpurpose is to provide paral el and which nearly'horizontalsupportsfor a tube terminal,which latter may be of horizontal or slopingflat ,or curved contour parallel with the supports and also of anyofthese contours transversely to thefisupp'orts, according to whetherrocking,:rolling or sliding connection between the horizontalsupportsand-terr 1 minal be desired; The supports may have 7 bearing against theterminal upon their inner (nearer) "edges or upon their outer (farther)6o edges or'between them and may becurved in in diiferent positionsnearer to o-rfurther from the lateral soas to accommodatejdit ferencesin flexible tube 'air connections between the lateral andaerating tube.

A further purpose is'to support a tubeterminal upon lugs rolling orrocking upon sub- ,rstantially horizontal' surfaces on opposite 7 7sides of the tubeand adapted to perform their roll ng or rockingfunction equally well at variant distances along the lengths oftheprongs so as to cooperate. with different lengths of air hose'connectingbetween the '80 air'tube and the lateral; Transversely of the prongs theterminal can slide or rock as preferred. V I

A further purpose top'rovide forrolling 7 of aerating tubesupportinglugs within seats in prongs on opposite sides of the tubeshaving seat curvatures of slightly greater radii than the radii ofcurvature of the lugs, the tubes swinging transverse'lyto the lengths of.the prongs by sliding or tilting'as preferred. V 1

" "A further purpose is to locate the flexible tube connection with thenipple for drop tube engagement as low as possible.

a My invention relates both to processes involvedland to apparatus bywhich the proc-' esse s may be carried out; 7

I have preferred to illustratemy invention by a few forms only among aconsiderable number inwhichmy invention may be disp aye el tingforins.which are practicalp l f T ()FFICE j efficient, reliable, convenient andinexpensive and which at the same time well illustrate the principlesinvolved.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a header and can basket withwhich the header is associated.

Figure 2 is a section upon line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 2a is a broken section of Figure 1 taken upon line 22 and showinga fragment only of the surrounding structure.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section of Figure 1 taken upon line 33.

Figure 4 is a section of Figure 3 taken upon line 44.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of Figure 3, thetube and hose con nection being removed.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective of a single bracket such as is shownin Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective on line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective and Figure 9 is a section upon line 9-9thereof showing one of the tube terminals involving my invention.

Figure 8a is a perspective similar to Figure 8., but of a modified form.Figures 10, 10a, 12, 12a, 15 and 18 are fraginentary side elevationsshowing different forms of brackets and tube terminals in position foruse.

Figures 11, 13, 16 and 19 are sections upon lines 1111, 13-13, 1616 and-1919 of Figures 10, 12, 14 and 18, respectively.

Figure 14 is a top plan view of the con- 'struction seen in Figure 15.

Figures 17 1.9 are sections correspond.- in g in position to line 16-16of Figure 14 but showing different forms of the invention.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts.

Tho-ugh various parts of my invention are applicable for the support ofaerating tubes in the individual cans as distinguished from cans locatedin can baskets, the features relating to the release of the tubes fromtheir supporting brackets by tipping of the lateral are most useful incan basket construction, where the release permits bodily removal of thelateral and all of the brackets together. The first part of my inventioncorrespondingly will be described in connection with the can baskets.

In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown can basket structure in which the cans22 are mounted between rails or bars 23 in such position as to becapable of being handled as a unit. The basket is lifted by means of acrane and the cans are all emptied at one time. Structure of thisgeneral cha'acter is so well known that it will not be necessary toillustrate or describe in detail the arrangement bywhich thelrigidmounting of the cans in the basket is secured to permit unit handling.

lVhatever the can basket construction it is quite desirable that thelateral 24 shall be so mounted that it will permit the cakes of ice tobe emptied from the cans or that the lateral can be thrown out of thepath of the ice as it is emptied from the cans.

Ordinarily the lateral will, of course, be of the usual piping; but myinvention is intended to apply equally well where laterals ofnon-circular section are used because of convenience or security ofclamp engagement. The lateral is rested upon the upper surface of thecans or of the basket and preferably rests within recesses 25 in thetransverse basket plates 26, in order to fix the position of the lateralso as to center its brackets in the cans and to limit side movement ofthe lateral when. the lateral is tilted for purposes of bracketdisconnection from the drop tubes.

The lateral 24 is retained against normal swinging movement by an arm 27which may be temporarily connected as by a pin 28.

The lateral is connected with the header 29 emporarily during use by aflexible connection 30, which is stretched over the end of the lateralhose coupling at one end and over a nipple 31 at the opposite end. Thenipple 31 is inserted within an automatic valve 32 which is secured inthe header 29, so that connection of the nipple opens the valve anddisconnection allows the valve to close. Such valves are old in the art.

The preferred form of bracket 33 is shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 6 andis of skeleton form so as to give considerable width of bracket,longitudinal of the lateral and great stifl ness for the amount ofweight involved. It also affords protection for the air connection.

The bracket as shown, comprises a lateralencircling band 34 continuousthroughout its width at the top 35 and at the lower front portion 36 butcut away along the end and rear part as at 37. This allows accessthrough the bracket for insertion within the lateral of the outletnipple 38. Connection is made betweenit and the drop tube 39 throughfieXible tube 40 and nipple 38'. This nipple fits into the taperedopening 41 within tube terminal 42. The terminal is provided with theusual thawing needle guide 43 and with some type of lug 44 or flangesupport 45.

The encircling member is stiffened by ribs 46 and is kerfed 'at 47 toform a clamp adapted to be set in desired angular and longitudinalposition,.with respect to the lateral, by means of bolts 48 passingthrough openings 49 and 49'.

The bracket arm is stiffened by side ribs or flanges 50 and is open at51 both to lighten the arm and to allow the air connection to passthrough it, as seen best in Figures 3 and 4.

Near the outer end the bracket is stiffened by a transverse rib 52 andis bifurcated to provide supporting fingers or prongs 53.

In freezing raw water in cans for the purpose of making commercial ice,the ice forms on the outer part of the intended cake first, closing inprogressively towardthe center of the cake. Though the thickness of thelayer thus formed is not uniform throughout the take, this results inthe raw water'space b ing progressively reduced in length (i. e., alongthe longer dimension in horizontal sections) and width,- but up to thetime of final freezing of the core always presenting asection muchlonger along the length of the can than across the can. v

In the methods of aeration heretofore in use, efiort has erroneouslybeen made to confine the swinging of the aerating tube or drop tube toswinging across the can, Wholly overlooking the fact that the sides ofthe entire unfrozen sectlon require agltatlon to assist in throwing 0Himpurities from accumulating ice and that the transverse swingingmovement formerly provided confines the direct agitati'onto' the sidesof the middle portion only, ignoring the needs of those parts of thesideswhich are furthest removed from the center. 7

My invention is intended to provide for swinging of the tubefto reachand aerate those portions of the-sides which are further from thecenterby a. movement lengthwise of the unfrozen cross section, and at the sametime to get intimate agitation 'atthe sides of the open portion atintervalsby given the ends of the tube an irregular movement whichapprox'imates an ellipse. v

I thusavoid the error of restricting swlnging movement'of the tube to aplane, yet per- 7 fectly provide for the greater extent ofswingingmovement longitudinally of the unfrozen cross section ascompared with the movement provided transversely of this cross section.J f

By balancing the restraining effect of the connecting rubber hoseagainst swinging movement in one direction as compared with swinging ina direction at'rightangles thereto, against a greater restraining"effect of the tube terminal support upon the bracket in the latterdirection of "movement as compared with the former direction, 1am ableto con- V shapes to 'cooperate with different types of supportinglugsorfl'angesupon the terminals I of the aerating (drop) tubes, with thepurpose and intent of favoring different paths of movement'of'thetube. 7

One feature of my drop'tube support from movement or circular movementof the tube. This concerns the extension-of the. supporting edge orsurface on each of the prongs to form approximately horizontal edges orledges upon which the tubeterminal may rest at any point along thelength of the prongs, accommodating to different lengths of fiexi: bletube 39, so thatwith an approximately correct tubelength' at the start,the tube supporting lugs, flange or collar will adjust itself to thatposiion longitudinally of the edges or i the bracket is independent ofthe type. of oval ledges at; which there isleast resilient-tubeflexingresistance to the free swinging Of the drop tube. This feature ispresent in all of the forms of my invention except: that shown inFigures 18'and19. At the start of the silient tube 39 due to theswinging of the aerating tube, it will be-evident that, takingourdirections from Figure 3 in order to simplify the discussion, therewill be ordinarily more resistance from the flexure oftubing discussionregarding :these tube supports and the fiexure of the re- 39 by swingingof the aeratingtubeiwhen the v swinging takes place parallel to thepaper and hence varies the distance between the nipples '38 and39,:kinking tubing 40, than when the swinging of the tube takes place ina planethro-ugh it perpendicular to the paper,

bringing tortion andside swaying strains upaeratin'gtube is to swingwith equal freedom in all directions, the support of the terminalwithinthe bracket prongs shouldordinarily provide less resistance toswingingwithin planes parallel to the paper (parallel to the lengths of theprongs) than to swinging in planes perpendicular to the paper(transverse to the lengthsof the prongs), so that [the sumsof-the tworesistances met (in dis-7 t'ortion of tube39 and in rocking or 'swingaing the tube uponthe bracket prongs) will be somewhat evened up andequalized in this way. i'Wit-h this as a starting point, these factorscan be properly appraised to give the exact proportion desired betweenthe 'longi tudinal' and side movements of-the'tube. I

In order to equalize the resistances I have made the resistance at theprongs to swing." ing in planes transverse to the prongs slightlygreater inmost of my formsthan the resistance at the prongs to swingingparallel with the length of the prongs. I havejprovided a variety oftypes of supports attheprcngs in order that the user of my invention mayhave a selecti-onof types to facilitate apportionin differentdirections, thus-making it possibleto secure approximatelyany shape ofellipse desired. 1 P With allof a on the tubing 39 F0 this r m'ent oftheiresistance to swinging of the tube V g g p V my'forms also it isdesirable j to be able to disconnect the nipple 38' from the tube bytwisting movement and for this purpose I provide resistance againstundue turning movement of the tube by engagement of a non-circularterminal section such as the rectangular portion 5 wit-h the sides ofthe prongs as at 55 and 56. The sides 56 should not approach the tubeterminal sufficiently to interfere with the swinging path desired.

It will be noted that after the tubes are frozen in position in the canof ice and the nipple 38 have been released from the tubes, the lateralcan be swung in a clockwise direction (Figure 3) by release of theholding pin and lifting the restraining arm so as to permit lifting ofthe lateral and the brackets bodily from the can to remove the lateraland brackets wholly from the path of emptying movement of the ice whenpassing out from the cans. This feature, though of greatest utility incan basket practice, is of value also in operation of individual cansusing laterals which are located over the cans in use. The types ofsupports of the aerating tubes from the brackets which I have shown areavailable both in can basket use and with individual cans located inpermanent canreceiving frames.

In the form of brackets illustrated in Figures 3, 4-, 5 and 6 the ledges57 are horizontal and present plain upper surfaces. These ledges willsupport a variety of lugs or flanges, giving flat support to lugs 44 ofFigures 8 and 9 in which the lugs have flat under faces 58, and edgesupport only where the under lug surfaces curve or slope outwardly andupwardly and the ledge is not correspondingly curved or sloped.

The flat-bottomed horizontal lugs 4:4: shown in Figures 8 and 9 slidefreely to whatever point may best suit the length of hose 40 between thelimits of the horizontal ledges. They rock parallel with the prongs uponlug edges 59 and transversely to the prongs upon edges 60. The selectionof position is automatic and it will be noted that the lugs rock equallywell at any position between the limits or at the limits, lifting thetubes slightly in each case and rocking more easily upon edges 59 thanupon edges 60. Most of the time the rocking will be a composite of thetwo, lifting upon and about corners of the lugs.

The width of the lugs as well as the distance between the ends of thelug upon which they rock can be altered in the design so as to secureany proportion desired between the radii about which rocking takes placeso as to make the additional energy required to rock about the longerradius offset any proportion or all of the additional energy res quiredin flexing the rubber tube 39 to swing the tube in planes parallel withthe length of the bracket, thus securing equality in the energy requiredto swing in these different planies or any approach to it which isdesire In the form shown in Figure 8a the same tilting action aboutedges 59 takes place with lifting of the tube in each case as in theform shown in Figures 8 and 9, but the curved under surfaces of the lugsensure rocking in the other plane about the inner edges 61 of thebracket unless the curvature be steep enough to make the lugs slide.

As will be seen, the form of Figure 8a reduces the tilting resistancewhere tilting takes place, and reduces the resistance below that oftilting where the tube terminal slides upon the inner edges of thebracket, so as in any event to make the resistance to movementtransverse to the bracket less than in the form shown in the Figures 8and 9.

In the form shown in Figures 10 and 11, the resistance offered by thesupport of the tube terminal upon the bracket to swinging movementtransverse to the bracket length is substantially the same as in Figure8a, providing tilting upon a relatively small radius where the slope ofthe edge of lug 41 is gradual, or sliding movement upon the edge wherethe slope is considerable. However, against swinging movement along thelength of the bracket the resistance offered by the movement of the tubeterminal upon the bracket is very much reduced as compared with thatoffered by the tilting flat-bottomed form of Figures 8, 9 and 8a to themovement in this direction, and is much reduced as compared with thetilting movement transverse the length of the bracket or the slidingmovement in the same direction in Figures 8a, 10 and 11. This isaccomplished by curving the undersides of the lugs 41 in Figures 10 and11, so that these lugs roll upon the edges 57 of ledges 51 in thecentral position shown in Figure 11, or tilt but slightly in positionsvariant from that in Figure 11. It will be noted that they roll equallywell upon any part of the horizontal ledges withwhich they engage.

The form shown in 10!; rolls well even though it engages the entireledges and not edges only. The difference between Figures 10 and 11 and10a. is therefore immaterial as regards this rolling friction alongwhatever part of theledge is engaged by the lugs, but the difference intilting in the opposite direction transverse to the bracket length isquite material since in Figure 10a the aerating tube would swing byrocking upon the outer edges of the supports, involving lifting of thetube upon a relatively long radius at each swinging movement.

The form shownin Figures 12 and 13 is quite comparable with that shownin Figures 10 and 11, except that swinging transversely to the length ofthe prongs where it involves tilting of the tube about either lug as acenter, has a longer radius for this tilting (about outer edges 62) thanin Figure 11, and swinging in a direction parallel with the lengthsofthe prongs requires slight lugs because the greater spacing of thebracket edgesnpon which the tube terminal rests results in thisengagement with the tube terminal taking placev upon the flattened outerends of the lugs instead of upon the rounded inner portion of the lugswith which engagement is made in Figures and 11. In Figure 12a the lugis shown as curved upon the underside all the way out and therefore as.rolling at a point of small diameter upon the surface of the bracketledge.

In the formshown in Figures 14, 15 and 16 the surface of the prongs arecurved cylindrically at 63 so as to cooperate with the spherical undersurface of the tube terminal, permitting sliding movement of theterminal in its cylindrical side supports when the tube swingstransversely of the prong lengths and providing for rolling movement ofthe spherical surface of the terminal upon the cylindrical surface ofthe bracket prongsupport when swinging takes place'in the plane of thelength of the bracket. Figural? is closely similar to Figure 16,differing in that there is a convex ledgesurface 64 at eachside tocooperate with the spherical tube terminal. difference, except tosubstitute line contact for the morefull engagement of the sphericalunder surface with the cylindrical surface in Figures 1l16.'

In all of the forms thus far described a horizontal ledge surface isprovided at each of the prong supports, so that the tube terminal can beplaced in a position conveniently to cooperate with the length of therubber hose provided, automatically taking the best position for thepurpose if it be placed in what would prove a strained position. In theforms shown in Figures 18 and 19, however, the prongs are not providedwith horizontal surfaces giving a range of position for the tubeterminal lugs, but are formed with transversely straight curved uppersurfaces 65 of slightly larger concave radii than the radii of theconvex curve 66 of the lugs. The curvature is such that the lugs canroll in their seatsto the extent desired while resting upon absolutelyfiat bottoms.

'The engagement of the lugs with the" width of thesupportingbracket[ledges results in swinging movement transverse to the length of-thebracket tilting the tube about the ends of the lugs.

I have thus shown the various elements entering into tube terminalsupport by prongs sliding or rolling, or tilting, a as preferred.

There are of course-many more combinations within the tubes.

This makes little.

In operation, the brackets areplaced upon the laterallbefore thenipples35 are inserted within the lateral. The nipples are then inserted andthe rubber tubesare put in place with nipples 37 in position forengagement with the tapered top openingsin the aerating tubes. The tubesare then placed in position, being inserted from the ends of the prongsand the tapered nipples are inserted The air is thus supplied to thetubes and results in more or less irregu lar movement ofthe tubes bothlongitudinally of the can crosssection and transversely of thiscrosssection, the proportions of these several movements which enter into thecontourof movement ofthe tube varying largely with the relative ease ofmovement in the planes parallel with and across the lengths of theprongs. This proportion is determined by the combined resistance toswinging movement due to engagement of nipples 38 with the flexibletubes and the resistance offered by the tilting, rolling or sliding ofthe tube terminals upon the surfacesof the bracket; prongs.

I'pre'ferably thus secure travel oftheiair discharging tube 7 end of thecan suflicient to scour all pajrts of the ice surface which is beingformed, along with lateral movement of the tube toward and from thelonger walls ofice sufficient to make the scouring effective allalong-the line, as distinguished from limiting the scouring to thatportion of the longer walls lying in the approximate center of the can.a s 7 Obviously these forms are all broadlythe same invention. r

It will be obvious that those skilled in the art will, in view of mydisclosure, see various other modifications and changes whichmay be madein my structure to secure the benefit of all or part of the inventionwithout copy sired, drop tubes one in each can and brackets supportingthe droptubes and mounted upon and adjustable longitudinally about thelateralqwhereby all of the'brackets maybe swung together by turningthelateralwhen the lateralis released.v i

2. An ice can basket containing 1ce cans, a

lateral carried by the basket and secured thereto, means for preventingthe lateral from rotating on its own axis in normal operation, bracketssecured to the lateral extending downwardly and away from the lateral,and aerating tubes supported from the brackets and free to moverelatively to the brackets upwardly and away from the lateral,permitting release and rotational swinging of the lateral to withdrawthe brackets downwardly and away from the tubes so as to permit removalof the lateral and the brackets from above the cans.

3. A plurality of ice cans, a lateral supported in proximity to the topsof the cans and releasably restrained from rotation with respect tothem, brackets carried by the lateral and having open ends for seatingand suspending aerating tubes, permitting their removal through the openends, and a plurality of tubes, one suspended by each bracket, wherebydownward movement of the open ends by angular movement of the lateralpermits withdrawal of the lateral and the brackets from the tubes andfrom the cans.

4. An ice can basket containing cans and having frame members recessedto receive a lateral, a lateral resting in the recesses, a rigidlymounted clamp for the lateral releasably restraining the latter fromrotating about its own axis at will, aerating tubes for the cans, andbracket supports for the tubes mounted upon the lateral holding thetubes in normal position of the lateral, and removableby downward andrearward swinging of the brackets through partial rotation of thelateral.

5. An air lateral, a drop tube, an air connection with the lateral, anipple terminating the air connection and engaging the tube, and abracket supporting the tube and straddling the air connection at thelateral to protect the connection by the side walls of the bracket.

6. In a raw water ice system, a drop tube, an air lateral, an airconnection tapped to the lateral and a bracket surrounding the lateral,recessed at the air connection to straddle the air connection and againre cessed to permit the air connection to again pass through thebracket, and having a drop tube support at the end of the bracket inposition for the tube supported therein to be engaged by the airconnection.

7. In a raw water ice system, an air lateral, a bracket supported fromthe air lateral, an air connection with the lateral terminating in aflexible tube, a nipple carried by the tube, a drop tube, a drop tubeterminal and a bracket end having spaced supports for the air tubeterminal, the supports extending generally lengthwise of the bracket topermit the air terminal to engage the bracket in varying positions alongthe length of the bracket according to the length of the flexible tubein the air connection.

8. In a raw water ice system, an air lateral, a bracket supported fromthe air lateral, an air connection with the lateral terminating in aflexible tube, a nipple carried by the tube, a drop tube engaged by thenipple and having an upper supporting terminal, loosely free to rock onthe bracket lengthwise and transversely of the bracket and a bracket endsupporting the terminal and having greater resistance to swingingmovement of the tube in a plane parallel with the length of the bracketend as compared with that in a plane transverse to the length of thebracket end.

9. In a raw water ice system, an air lateral, a bracket supported fromthe air lateral, an air connection with the lateral terminating in aflexible tube, a nipple carried by the tube, a drop tube engaged by thenipple and having an upper supporting terminal, and a forked bracket endsupporting the terminal, rocking on it and having less resistanceoffered by the engagement of the bracket with the tub-e terminal toswinging of the tube in a plane parallel with the length of the bracketend than in a plane transverse to the length of the bracket end.

10. In a raw water ice system, an air lateral, a bracket supported fromthe air lateral and ending in a forked tube support, an air connectionwith the lateral terminating in a flexible tube, a nipple carried by thetube, a drop tube engaged by the nipple and having tilting engagementwith the bracket, with swinging movement of the tube transverse to theportions of the bracket upon which the tube terminal rests, whereby thetube is lifted with each swinging movement of the tube, and having moreresistance to swinging movement in planes transverse than in thoseparallel to the length of the bracket end.

11. In a raw water ice system, an air lateral, a bracket supported fromthe air lateral, an air connection with the lateral terminating in aflexible tube, a nipple carried by the tube, a drop tube engaged by thenipple and having an upper supporting terminal and a bracket endcooperating with the terminal and having line engagement between thebracket and terminal along the inside of the bracket walls.

12. In a raw water ice system, a plurality of drop tubes, an air lateralsupplying the drop tubes, adjustable angularly about its own axis, andfastening normally to hold the lateral in position to support the tubes,

air connections from the lateral to the tubes and plurality of bracketsmounted upon the lateral and adapted each to support one drop tubewhereby the lateral may be turned to lower the brackets from engagementwith the tubes.

13. In a raw water ice system, a plurality of drop tubes, a lateralsupplying the drop tubes, adjustable angularly about its own axis, andfastening normally to hold the lateral in' position to support thetubes, air connections from the lateral to the tubes and a plurality ofbrackets adjustable circumferentially about the lateral mounted upon thelateral, downwardly sloping and adapted eachto support one droptubewhereby the lateral may be turned to lower the brackets fromengagement with the tubes.

14. In a raW water ice system, a drop tube bracket having a forkedsupporting end provided with horizontal ledges on opposite sides of thedrop tube position, a drop tube and a drop tube terminal having lugsbearing on the ledges and flat on their under sides the length of theledges being longer than the fiat undersides of the lugs to permitmovement of the lugs longitudinally of the ledges.

15. In a raw Water ice system, a drop tube bracket having a forkedsupporting end provided with ledges on opposite sides of the drop tubeposition, the ledges providing a horizontal support and a drop tubesupport in normal use movable longitudinally of the ledges.

16. In a raw ice water system, a drop tube bracket having a forkedsupporting end provided with ledges on opposite sides of the drop tubeposition, an air tube, and an air tube terminal fitting therein, theterminal ,sos 7 bracket having a forked supporting end provided withledges on opposite sides of the drop tube position, means for supportingthe bracket, a drop tube and a terminal for the drop tube carrying lugscurved on their undersidesjand adapted to bear on the ledges, wherebythe tube rolls on the lugs in one direction and tilts upon one of thelugs in a direction transverse thereto.

21; In a raw water ice system, a'drop tube bracket having a forkedsupporting end provided; with ledges on opposite sides of the drop tubeposition, a support for the bracket,

a drop tube and a drop tube terminal of convex contour sloping upwardlyfrom the tube whereby the terminal slides on the ledges in one directionof movement and rocks upon both of the ledges in a direction of movementtransverse thereto.

JOSEPH A. MARTOCELLO.

being of non-circular section below the support to engage adjoiningparts of the fork of the bracket and prevent undue turning of the tube..

17. In a raw water ice system, a plurality of cans placed side to side,an air lateral across the cans in proximity to the tops of the cans andnear the center of one half of the width of the cans, a plurality ofdownwardly sloping brackets adjustably secured to the lateral, one foreach can and drop tubes, one in the center of each can supported by thebrackets and air connected with the lateral.

18. The process of equalizing the restraint against swinging movementofan aerating tube'having connection with a flexible air.

supply tube at one end and support upon a bracket, which consists insupplying resistance to swinging movement in different directions at thebracket support reversely proportional to the resistance vto swingingmovement offered by the supply tubing connection.

19. The process of supporting a tube terminal having projecting surfacesfrom a bracket having side bars on opposite sides of the tube terminal,which consists in providing tilting of the tube support upon the sidebars at difierent radii in one plane as compared with a planetransversely thereto to offsetdifierences in resistance to tilting dueto conditions. in other parts of the conn-ection. v

20. In a raw water ice system, a drop tube

